Published Wednesday, 28 March, 2007 at 05:17 PM
Minister for Police and Corrective Services
The Honourable Judy Spence
GOVERNMENT FORUM EXPLORES BETTER SUPPORT FOR OFFENDERS
A forum in Townsville tomorrow will focus on developing an enhanced approach to supporting prisoners after their release from jail as a means of stoping the cycle of re-offending.
Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence said the forum would build stronger links between Queensland Corrective Services and other government and non-government groups.
“Now is an ideal time for QCS to engage with local courts, police, community justice groups and stakeholders to build stronger links with the community and to deliver offender programs at a local level,” Ms Spence said.
“In the past six months QCS has opened the new Townsville Probation and Parole office and Lower Gulf Probation and Parole offices at Doomadgee, Normanton and Mornington Island.
“The Probation and Parole service, launched in August last year, also provides for tougher supervision and surveillance of offenders serving community-based orders.
“Today’s forum will focus on developing a collaborative approach to through-care for offenders and providing offenders with support after they serve their sentence.”
Ms Spence said effective support was an important step towards breaking the cycle of re-offending.
“The forum will look at ways to build closer links between QCS and Indigenous communities as well as developing strategies for maintaining links between correctional centres, the probation and parole service and communities,” she said.
Representatives from the Department of Child Safety, Department of Justice and Attorney-General and Department of Communities will attend as well as members of the Palm Island, Normanton and Doomadgee councils; justice groups from Palm Island, Mornington Island, Mt Isa, Doomadgee and Townsville/Thuringowa; and the Normanton Men’s Group.
The forum will be held at the Shoreline Motel Conference Room on the Strand from 8.30 am until 4 pm.
Media contact: Scott Chandler (07) 3239 6203 / 0408 734 497
Corrective Services Minister Judy Spence said the forum would build stronger links between Queensland Corrective Services and other government and non-government groups.
“Now is an ideal time for QCS to engage with local courts, police, community justice groups and stakeholders to build stronger links with the community and to deliver offender programs at a local level,” Ms Spence said.
“In the past six months QCS has opened the new Townsville Probation and Parole office and Lower Gulf Probation and Parole offices at Doomadgee, Normanton and Mornington Island.
“The Probation and Parole service, launched in August last year, also provides for tougher supervision and surveillance of offenders serving community-based orders.
“Today’s forum will focus on developing a collaborative approach to through-care for offenders and providing offenders with support after they serve their sentence.”
Ms Spence said effective support was an important step towards breaking the cycle of re-offending.
“The forum will look at ways to build closer links between QCS and Indigenous communities as well as developing strategies for maintaining links between correctional centres, the probation and parole service and communities,” she said.
Representatives from the Department of Child Safety, Department of Justice and Attorney-General and Department of Communities will attend as well as members of the Palm Island, Normanton and Doomadgee councils; justice groups from Palm Island, Mornington Island, Mt Isa, Doomadgee and Townsville/Thuringowa; and the Normanton Men’s Group.
The forum will be held at the Shoreline Motel Conference Room on the Strand from 8.30 am until 4 pm.
Media contact: Scott Chandler (07) 3239 6203 / 0408 734 497